Neymar for PSG after Barca pre-season —Reports

REPORTS in Spain are claiming that Neymar will not return to Barcelona and will head straight to Paris after the Catalans’ pre-season tour of the USA.

The La Liga giants have been adamant that their superstar will not be leaving this summer.

However, Spanish publication Sport claim that he will not join his teammates in heading back to Barcelona and will instead go to the French capital to finalise his £195million move to Paris Saint-Germain once they have finished their trip Stateside.

The shock news of Neymar’s unhappiness at the Nou Camp emerged last week after reports he had grew tired of living in the shadow of Lionel Messi.

It is claimed he dreams of being recognised as the planet’s best footballer and believes he will not be able to achieve that while playing second fiddle to the Argentine icon.

However, Sport have reported  that his desire to leave also stems from the fact he no longer has many of his fellow countrymen at the club.

Both his close friends Dani Alves and Adriano have both departed Barcelona in recent years, with Brazilian Rafinha the only Samba boy left in the side.

Despite these latest reports, Barca remain adamant that they will not sell Neymar this summer.

Upon their arrival in America two days ago for the International Champions Cup, president Josep Bartomeu attempted to put a stop to the speculation.

He also reminded PSG that they would be in breach of Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations should they force through the move by matching his huge £195m release clause.

Bartomeu said: “He has a contract for the coming four years and, of course, we count on him.

“He’s part of our team. He’s part of this [attacking] trident [with Messi and Luis Suarez].

“These clauses are impossible to activate if you want to comply with Financial Fair Play.

“If someone doesn’t want to comply, then of course it can be activated.”

Barcelona’s Messi and Neymar are looking forward to a new season with new coach Ernesto Valverde

Neymar, 25, joined Barcelona for the 2013-14 season and last October agreed announced a three-year contract extension through 2020-21.

His buyout clause began with a figure of £180m in year one which has risen to it’s current value of £195m in year two.